Rehberg Sets Eye On Baucus

Republican Dennis Rehberg, after easily defeating two opponents in the GOP primary election Tuesday, is sharpening the focus of his U.S. Senate campaign on Democratic incumbent Max Baucus.

Rehberg, now Montana’s lieutenant governor, said his campaign will ride heavily on Baucus’s record as a three-term senator. In the U.S. House race Tuesday, Bill Yellowtail cruised to the Democratic nomination. He became the nominee despite revelations in the last month of the campaign that his background was scarred by crime, spouse abuse and unpaid child support.

Final unofficial returns showed Yellowtail with 50,097 votes, or 56 percent. Yellowtail will face Republican Rick Hill in the general election for the only House seat.

In the Republican race, Helena businessman Rick Hill, armed with the tacit support of Montana’s popular governor, won the primary Tuesday by a surprisingly wide margin over two opponents.

With all 871 precincts reporting unofficial figures, Hill had 48,575 votes, or 44 percent and Dwight MacKay of Billings had 39,653 votes, or 36 percent.